SNP manifesto: what we’ll do for Scotland’s BME communities

We value Scotland’s minority ethnic communities and the huge contribution they make to our society, culture and economy.

We want tolerance, respect and inclusion to be the hallmarks of modern, fairer Scotland – and have set out a number of steps to achieve this for all black and minority ethnic (BME) people in Scotland.

Here’s just some of what we’ll do.

By 2020, we will deliver 30,000 apprenticeships each year, targeting the additional places on higher level courses and making sure that we increase the numbers of trainees from a BME background.

We will appoint a new Race Framework Adviser to take forward a range of actions to tackle existing inequalities within our ethnic communities.

We expect teachers to undertake training on equality, so they are confident in tackling prejudice-based bullying, and will provide funding where necessary.

We will work towards every professional working with children being trained on equality, to enable them to address prejudice-based bullying, attachment, child development and child protection.

We will aim to ensure that all police officers receive appropriate training to support the investigation of hate crimes and also work towards all new police and fire service recruits receiving equality training.

We will ensure public authorities gather diversity information and use it to inform employment practices.

We will set up a fast track crisis grant fund for refugee families who settle here to be with their family because we know that settling in a new country, with a new culture and language and getting to know your family again is a difficult process.